Thousands of gigawatts of clean energy are languishing in interconnection queues nationwide, where they wait for an average of five years before connecting to the grid. Vic Shao thinks he’s found a way for projects to jump the line.
This week, Shao launched DC Grid, a company that provides off-grid energy solutions using direct current power instead of the more common alternating current power. Created to address the burgeoning power demand from data centers, AI, and EV charging, DC Grid pairs modular DC technologies with energy generation and computing to develop standalone systems that do not need to connect to the wider grid.
“Utilities need help,” Shao wrote in a recent blog post. “Without the private sector pitching in and adding electrical capacity, the U.S. cannot adequately compete on the global stage in AI, electric transport, and manufacturing.”
“Electricity underpins our economic growth,” he added. Shao previously founded energy storage company Green Charge Networks and EV charging company Amply Power, which were acquired by ENGIE and bp, respectively. What stood out from both ventures was how long it took to connect power demands with power loads. The sticking point? The grid.
Shao’s new venture is a private-sector alternative to the government and utility-operated electric grid. DC Grid told pv magazine USA that it sells drop-in DC units that function like Lego blocks to create scalable systems that can stand alone without interconnection or operation by utility companies. These systems connect a power source (such as biogas) to a power load (such as a data center that uses all DC wires).
By using DC power from the get-go, the modules skip one conversion from AC power to DC power, which makes the process faster and more energy-efficient. And, by co-locating the energy generation and load, there’s no need to wait for new transmission lines to be built before the systems can be deployed.
Above-ground raceways make installation simpler, since transmission lines do not need to be buried underground. Instead, DC Grid’s solutions can be quickly assembled onsite without any switchgear or AC equipment necessary.
The company’s modules draw on a variety of energy sources, such as solar and energy storage, and biogas and renewable natural gas (RNG). DC Grid plans to use solar and storage systems in rural areas, and renewable natural gas and biogas in urban applications. The company couples localized, accordion-style ground-mount solar panels with DC batteries for its solar and storage systems, which are usually installed in areas such as highway corridors, where acreage is inexpensive.
To date, however, the majority of the company’s conversations with customers have centered on RNG and biogas projects in urban areas where solar might not be feasible due to size or cost, DC Grid told pv magazine USA, noting that RNG and biogas can be more efficient, cost-effective uses of urban space for energy generation. Currently, the company has memoranda of understanding for six sites across the country, with the first set to become operational in mid-2025.
Compared to AC systems, DC power
- slashes energy loss by up to 20% during conversion and up to 33% during transmission and distribution;
- provides a constant voltage, making it more stable than AC power; and
- can be stored without conversion.
The company also introduced an ultra-compact DC/DC fast charger for electric vehicles and a power shelf for data center applications.
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This is exactly what Thomas Edison had truly envisioned for the Grid…it was to be DC and generated at point of use…STOP WAISTING TIME AND TAX PAYERS MONEY ON STUPID GRID..build only at point of use and use ESS to deliver Baseload DC if needed invert to AC…